Wood stock care

[ajamils]

I was recently introduced to boiled linseed oil and I've been loving putting it on all my wood stock guns and seeing them looking like new. After doing couple of coats, wood looks darker and clean but it stays matte. I would prefer a little shine on it. So I was looking at other options and I've seen Renaissance Wax, Kramer's Best antique improver and even just plain wood wax (on top of Linseed treatment) as suggestions.

I would like to know what do please here prefer? Also, what's the deal with Ballistol? That's another new thing that I came across on various forums and it's considered to be best thing since slice bread. I'm planning to get a can for treating barrels and rubber buttstock.

 

[mark-hunter]

Ballistol I use fore everything, almost.
I did not notice negative effect on wooden stocks. (like blackening the stock, if the oil gets to wood.
I was cleaning pistol wooden grips regurarly

This oil has interesting history. Used by Germany in ww2. They used it for everything, including dressing the open wounds and firearm maintenance, and leather protection.

 

[meritman]

I've always used Renaissance wax on my wood stocks. I also do the blued parts too. Seems to work fine and helps protect the guns. Most of the major gun suppliers have it.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I use Linspeed. It can be built up to a glossy finish or rubbed down to matte. The downside to oil glossy finish is it's soft and scratches easy. But also easy to touch up. I rubbed in the dozen coats of Linspeed on my 404 build till grain was filled.

 

[mdwest]

I use a home brew combination of food grade mineral oil and bees wax.. basically the same thing that people use on high end cutting boards…

Super low sheen.. but the oil penetrates well, the wax seals well, and there is no color at all.. it’s completely translucent…

Been using it on my stocks for years..

 

[Saul]

Big fan of renaissance wax

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

Ballistol has been around since 1904, its good stuff, better than most of the boutique crap that’s pushed as the new "wunderkin" product
gumpy

 

[Huvius]

I like Howard’s Feed-N-Wax

 

[Nhoro]

Boiled linseed oil will build gloss after a lot of coats, not high gloss but it is the finish on holland and holland etc.

 

[mdwest]

Ballistol has been around since 1904, its good stuff, better than most of the boutique crap that’s pushed as the new "wunderkin" product
gumpy

I like ballistol and use it quite a bit for general maintenance since its good on both wood and steel...

but holy hell does it stink....

 

[ajamils]

Boiled linseed oil will build gloss after a lot of coats, not high gloss but it is the finish on holland and holland etc.

Cool. I guess I will stick with it. I don't want a very high gloss but at least some shine.

@Huvius , I did try Feed-N-Feed (on top of Linseed oil coat) as I had that at home it did not create any shine but instead made made it more of a matte finish.

 

[Hillcountry63]

A gunsmith buddy turned me on to a product called GUN SAV'R Gunstock Finish Hunter Satin. It's in a spray can and I got it from Brownell's. I picked up a beater Winchester 70 375 H&H that looked like someone had used it as a boat paddle, stock was sound just looked rough and needed re-bluing. At any rate since I was going to do the project myself, he recommended it. I sanded it down to get the gouges and imperfections out and put on light coats of spray allowing it to dry overnight before the next coat. I put about 10 coats on, and it looks really good with just the lightest satin. As soon as I re-blue the barrel I'll post some pictures, but I'll use it again.

 

[UKHunter]

PM me your email address and I’ll send you how to achieve a ‘London best’ finish as used by the likes of H&H

 

[tward1604]

PM me your email address and I’ll send you how to achieve a ‘London best’ finish as used by the likes of H&H

Mind if I take you up on that offer?

 

[375er]

Mind if I take you up on that offer?

I am very interested in that subject too!!

 

[meritman]

If the original stock is VERY nice, you might get a synthetic one for the rifle and swap them out when you go into the field.

 

[ajamils]

If the original stock is VERY nice, you might get a synthetic one for the rifle and swap them out when you go into the field.

I say it is pretty decent

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

I like ballistol and use it quite a bit for general maintenance since its good on both wood and steel...

but holy hell does it stink....

Works on leather as well……and I'm not sure that you are meant to use it as a perfume……

gumpy

 

[Troubleshooter]

I am told that the folks who finish stocks at Parkwest Arms (formerly Dakota Arms) use wax and oils manufactured by CCL Traditional English Gun Products. You should be able to locate that online; it used to be sold by the owners of The Double Gun Journal.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I was recently introduced to boiled linseed oil and I've been loving putting it on all my wood stock guns and seeing them looking like new. After doing couple of coats, wood looks darker and clean but it stays matte. I would prefer a little shine on it. So I was looking at other options and I've seen Renaissance Wax, Kramer's Best antique improver and even just plain wood wax (on top of Linseed treatment) as suggestions.

I would like to know what do please here prefer? Also, what's the deal with Ballistol? That's another new thing that I came across on various forums and it's considered to be best thing since slice bread. I'm planning to get a can for treating barrels and rubber buttstock.

@ajamils
I use LINSPEED OIL and Gilley's gun wax. Gives a beautiful finish that's better than satin but not fully gloss. The wax makes the stock impervious to water and dust just wipes off. Very easy to use.
Bob